Self Care on the Go

Sometimes we need self care at times when it isn’t convenient – commuting, before a meeting, during a revision session, the list goes on. If you own a piece of modern technology, however, there’s no need to panic at times like these!

Whether you use an iPod, iPad, smartphone, etc., I have some suggestions as to how these can actually help you in times of stress, panic, and lack of motivation or focus.

My first tip is to invest in some good quality earphones (I’ve found Apple earphones to be the best and they’re about £30) and ALWAYS carry them on you. This way no matter where you are, you can rely on having some form of mini-support to get you through it without disturbing those around you.

Secondly, I’d recommend creating a chill playlist of your favourite artists or songs that have a chilled out vibe that you feel helps you stay calm and focused. Spotify has some chill playlists, but I find music that makes us feel chill is super subjective. In case it helps, here are some artists I like to listen to:

– Honne

– Khalid

– BJ The Chicago Kid

– Will Heard

– Rex Orange County

– Drake

There are also apps available that can help us to stay centred, focused and motivated when we need it most.

I’d recommend the following:

1. HeadSpace

2. Forest: Stay Focused

3. Calm (book available)

4. Get Sh*t Done

5. Fabulous – Motivate Me

6. Motivate: Daily Motivation

A tip that I only discovered in the last few months that has helped me indescribably is to tell people. You’ll be surprised as to how understanding people are if you need to take a minute to yourself – in a lecture, at work, etc. Either they’ll understand how you feel or they won’t know what it feels like so tell you to do what’s best for you. If you get any kind of unpleasant response, know that you’ve done the right thing being honest about how you feel, and the problem is with them – they’re ignorant – not you. In this case you can turn to your playlist, apps, or if going on your smartphone would be inconvenient, try to remember any tips or advice you got from the apps themselves. Maybe even go through one of the songs in your head to get through the minutes of discomfort – this can be very beneficial.

I hope these tips help you, motivate you, and contribute to your self care. There is an email sign up below if you’d like to receive updates each time I post on the blog.

‘It’s okay to take time for yourself. We give so much of ourselves to others and we need to be fuelled both physically and mentally. If we are in balance, it helps us in all our interactions.’